


A Fool's Dream

by Nightfrost



Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, Angst and Tragedy, Character Death, Emotional Hurt, Gen, Original Character Death(s), Terminal Illnesses, Tragedy, Unrequited Crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-16
Updated: 2018-04-16
Packaged: 2019-04-23 21:24:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14341212
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nightfrost/pseuds/Nightfrost
Summary: Do you know the legend of the one thousand paper cranes?They say if you fold one thousand of them, you can have a wish granted.That's a fool’s dream.





	A Fool's Dream

Life isn’t fair. We knew that ever since we were born. But we didn't know life was so cruel to have us fated to die so soon after we finally began living.

We just… we just wanted to live…

But apparently that was too much to ask for…

/////

Our eyes looked over as our only friend entered the room, stacks of paper high in his arms. Hm, what were those for?

“In Japan…” he paused, before continuing, “there's a legend that if you fold one thousand paper cranes you can get a wish granted by the gods.”

They laughed. It came out raspy and pained, before they coughed blood. “Sounds silly. But it'd be better… than sitting in bed doing nothing all day… This, this staying in one spot unable to move… we hate it. We hate it so… But we can’t… can't do anything about it…”

He put the paper on the desk within easy reach, eyes closed. “Yes, I thought so…”

He was so close to breaking, they reached a hand out, and tapped his cheek. “Don't cry, it won't fix anything.”

Hands cupped their own, and he hiccuped. “I know.”

“You know how to make these right? ‘Cause we don't. Show us, okay? We can make them together. Two-thousand paper cranes, one thousand for each of us, okay?”

The laugh they got in response was pained. “Yes. Two-thousand paper cranes between the us. It's a promise.”

///// 57, 17 /////

Holding up the paper crane, they looked at it in the light. It had been a week since they were told they were going to die. A day since they made a promise to make one thousand paper cranes. Hospitals were… so boring…

The door opened, and their friend walked in, before pausing. “Ah, you already made this many?”

They chuckled. “Yes… insomniac, remember?” They stopped, and looked down at the crane in their hands. “We’re scared, if we fall asleep, that one day, we won't wake up…”

He closed one hand over their crane. “I know…”

They looked up. “They said this disease was progressing for years… and that there isn’t anything they can do.”

It wasn't fair. Their one wish, their one wish from the bottom of their heart… They had to watch it slip through their fingers like grains of sand in the wind.

///// 198, 102 /////

Gavin looked at the paper crane in his hands. One hundred and two. A teardrop fell onto the wing of the creation. Ah…

“Gavin-kun, you’ve been folding a lot of paper cranes lately!”

He turned towards the voice, Minami. The one who told him of the legend of the thousand paper cranes.

“Yes… I made a promise.”

She tilted her head. “About what?”

Holding up the crane between two fingers, he wrote the number on the wing. “Two thousand paper cranes between two people.”

Minami faltered. “Gavin-kun, you don't really believe in that legend I told you, right? It's just a fairy tale.”

“I don't. But… I'm going to do it anyway.”

Wouldn't it be nice… if wishes came true?

That's not the kind of world they live in.

///// 304, 258 /////

It's getting harder to fold them… It's been getting harder for a while… A little over a month, and already… already…

They crumpled the half complete crane, tears falling onto their fist.

///// 345, 280 /////

“Don't you have classes to go to, Gavin?”

He's been spending more and more time with them lately. He looks up from his paper crane.

“…I can always catch up after you…”  _ after you die _ … he thinks, but doesn't say. Classes aren't that important, not when your best friend is slowly wasting away in the hospital. Choking back his tears, he gave them a smile.

“Ah… we suppose you could…” Their voice is tinged with melancholy.

They pat the space next to them, and he obligingly sat in the indicated space, the stack of paper close by. He pulled them so their head is in his lap.

“All we wanted… was to live…” They choked out. “But instead… our fate is to slowly waste away…”

His heart clenched painfully in his chest. “I-I know…”

He knows. And gods, does it hurt.

///// 490, 550 /////

He's taken to practically living in the hospital now, only leaving for food and showers, and that one time he brought their stuff from the dorm. The nurses give him a pitying look, but they let him stay. For that, he is grateful. He knows he isn't supposed to stay overnight, but one of the nurses said they didn't have the heart to kick him out after visiting hours are over.

He wistfully plays with a lock of hair on Lucian’s face, as he sets the crane on the bed. They have a lot now, over one thousand between them. A little over half way to their goal.

Four months, and his friend spends more time sleeping than awake. But he won't leave. He can’t leave his friend to face this alone. Even if it hurts with every fiber of his being.

Their skin is unhealthily pale now, their cheeks sunken in. He knows without the sterile hospital gown, he would be able to count each rib.

Blinking away tears, he cradles them to his chest, being careful not to wake them.

No one else visits, and he can't, he can't let them be alone.

Because he loves them. But he won't, won't burden them with these feelings, not when they're on their literal deathbed.

///// 510, 592 /////

“Ga… vin…”

Their voice is only a whisper now, and he has to strain his ears to hear. In his heart, he knew that they don't have much time left.

“…Yes? What is it?”

“…Pro… mise… us… some… thing…”

His heart clenched. “Anything.”

Their hand weakly grasped at his own. “When… we die… please… live… and… burn us… to ashes…”

His own fingers traced the ring of scar tissue on their wrist. “Of course…”

Because… because throwing his own life away when his friend was dying a slow death, that would be the ultimate insult to them.

They gave him a weak smile. “Thank… you… can… can you… sing… for… us…?”

Voice catching in his throat, he nods, and recalls a song he heard once. It was from a game, but the lyrics resonated deeply with him.

“You and I were born,

Right here in the same world,

For, this one brief life,

We’re beneath the same sky…”

His voice was scratchy with pain, but they enjoyed it. By the time he finished, their eyes had weakly fluttered closed.

“Please… sleep well… Lucian…”

///// 532, 627 /////

“We… are scared…”

They rasped out. Gavin put a hand in their hair, lightly twining his fingers in the dark strands.

“We… don't… want to… die… alone…”

The hand in their hand tightened, before relaxing. “I'll stay with you. I promise.”

“…Even… even though… it… hurts…?”

His pain, they could feel it… Sometimes when he thought they were sleeping, they would feel tears fall on their cheeks. This was… it was hurting him.

“…Yes… I… you're my best friend, Lucian… I won't let you die alone with only “them” for company…”

Closing their hands against his own, they nodded, before leaning into him. Instinctively, his arms came to hold them close, as if they would disappear at any moment. That wasn't an invalid fear. Even now, they could feel their life slipping away. How long did they have left? Hours? Days?

“Thank… you…”

///// 551, 672 /////

They looked longingly out the window. Five and a half months… It was spring now. It looked… so nice out. It reminded them of the fact they had been confined here for so long.

They tugged weakly on Gavin’s sleeve.

“Ga… vin…” It was getting harder to speak.

When he asks them what they want, they point outside.

“…Alright.”

Carefully, gently as if they were something about to break (and maybe they would), he places them into the wheelchair, and wheels them out.

“Are you taking Lucian outside?”

One of the nurses say to them. Gavin bobs his head.

“Alright. You know where the courtyard is.”

When they turned the corner, they thought they could see the nurse wiping her tears, but they weren't sure.

Taking in a slow breath, they breathed in the fresh air of the courtyard. Yes… that was nice… Much better than the stale air of the hospital room.

Gavin started to wheel them over to the bench, but they reached up and touched his cheek. He paused, and they pointed to the tree in the middle. They wanted to sit under it.

“The wheels won't go in the grass…”

They knew that. “Carry…”

After a moment, he nods and picks them up, walking over to the tree before sitting underneath it, his back to the trunk and their own back to his chest. Their hospital gown probably will have grass stains, but it doesn't matter.

Closing their eyes, they let the sun warm their face. Ah… that feels nice…

“We… can't… fulfill… our prom… ise…” They murmured.

He stiffened. “Which one?”

Each word they spoke had to be dragged out. “Paper… cranes…”

His hands tightened against their waist, and they felt wetness drip on their shoulder through the thin gown.

“...Yeah. I know…”

They were sleepy… so sleepy… They would just sleep… for a little while…

“Tired… good… night… Ga… vin… Thank… you… for… every… thing…”

“Y-yeah… Have… have sweet dreams… Lu-Lucian…”

Their eyes closed, and they curled into him, awareness slipping away.

……

Gavin felt the moment their breathing slowed to a stop, their heart stopped beating, and their grip on him slackened. Hiccuping softly, he hugged their body close to him, tears dampening their hair.

“Goodbye… Lucian. I love you…”

Pressing a kiss to their forehead, he smiled sadly. They looked so peaceful in death…

///// 551, 673 /////

Gently caressing the locket he wore, he looked at his room. He had a falling out with his parents, and he found work in the next city over.

His parents weren't too happy that he basically skipped half a year of school. He didn't care. His friend was more important than that. Sure, he'd have to repeat the year, but if he could go back in time, he wouldn't change a thing.

Setting down his bag, he pulled out a sheet of paper and looked at it wistfully. Since that day a week ago, he couldn't bring himself to fold more.

Six hundred and seventy two. That's how many cranes he folded before they passed away.

Looking down at the sheet, he automatically made another. Six hundred and seventy three.

Curling his fingers into the paper, he gripped at the locket.

He had wanted to be a doctor but… how could he save anyone if he couldn't save his only friend?

///// 551, 702 /////

This place, it was strange. She was visiting an office with her friend, looking to get a job interview. Even though it was the next town over, it wasn't too long of a commute.

They needed her skills with computers, they said. The pay was good, so she decided to take the job.

But she was beginning to regret it. She didn't see anyone she recognized here…

She paused as her gaze fell on a person with a head of dark hair folding origami.

Remembering a boy who had overheard her telling the legend of the thousand paper cranes, a boy that was folding a thousand, she gathered her courage. She never found out who the other person he was folding paper cranes with was, as he stopped visiting the coffee shop where they met.

She thought he had died, but clearly that was not the case.

Walking over, her greeting died on her lips as he looked up to her. Yes, it was the same boy. He looked awful, like he hadn't slept in weeks, his eyes puffy and red.

Instead of a greeting, what came out of her mouth was “…Did you ever finish-? The thousand paper cranes?”

He shook his head. “One thousand, two hundred, and fifty-one, no, fifty-two cranes between us.”

She wondered who he had lost. “Why are you still folding them-?”

Taking another sheet of paper out of his bag, he looked at it for a long moment. “I made a promise.”

Looking at him, all Minami could think of was that sometimes, promises were terrible things.

///// 551, 1000 /////

He fulfilled his end of the promise… even if the person he made it with was no longer on this earth.

Looking at the thousandth paper crane in his hands, it felt… bittersweet.

A wish huh… such a thing… it couldn't bring back the dead.

That was nothing but a fool’s dream.

Setting it on the nightstand, he laughed weakly, one arm over his eyes to stop the tears.

Then he guessed that made him a fool.

**Author's Note:**

> The numbers on the dividers are the number of cranes folded.
> 
> The lyrics are from the English version of Kiseki, the ending theme of Pokemon X and Y. Thought it was fitting.


End file.
